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• steam
  steam

  noun

  water in the form of an invisible gas or vapor.
• STEAM
  STEAM

  noun

  science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, considered as a group of academic or career fields (often used attributively).

steam

¹ American  

[steem] / stim /

noun

steam plural

1. water in the form of an invisible gas or vapor.

2. water changed to this form by boiling, extensively used for the generation of mechanical power, for heating purposes, etc.

3. the mist formed when the gas or vapor from boiling water condenses in the air.

4. an exhalation of a vapor or mist.

5. Informal. power or energy.

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verb (used without object)

steams, present (3rd person singular) steamed, past participle, past steaming present participle

1. to emit or give off steam or vapor.

2. to rise or pass off in the form of steam or vapor.

3. to become covered with condensed steam, as a window or other surface (often followed byup ).

4. to generate or produce steam, as in a boiler.

5. to move or travel by the agency of steam.

6. to move rapidly or evenly.

   He steamed out of the room.

7. Informal. to be angry or show anger.

   Fans are still steaming from Monday night’s sloppy 5-4 loss.

verb (used with object)

steams, present (3rd person singular) steamed, past participle, past steaming present participle

1. to expose to or treat with steam, as in order to heat, cook, soften, renovate, or the like.

2. to emit or exhale (steam or vapor).

3. Informal. to cause to become irked or angry (often followed byup ).

4. to convey by the agency of steam.

   to steam the ship safely into port.

adjective

1. heated by or heating with steam.

   a steam radiator.

2. propelled by or propelling with a steam engine.

3. operated by steam.

4. conducting steam.

   a steam line.

5. bathed with or affected by steam.

6. of or relating to steam.

idioms

1. blow / let off steam, to give vent to one's repressed emotions, especially by talking or behaving in an unrestrained manner.

   Don't take her remarks too seriously—she was just blowing off steam.

STEAM ² American  

[steem] / stim /

noun

1. science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, considered as a group of academic or career fields (often used attributively).

   Engaging students in STEAM subjects helps them become adept at solving all kinds of problems they might encounter, regardless of their chosen careers.

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steam British  

/ stiːm /

noun

1. the gas or vapour into which water is changed when boiled

2. the mist formed when such gas or vapour condenses in the atmosphere

3. any vaporous exhalation

4. informal power, energy, or speed

5. 1. (of a ship, etc) to work up a sufficient head of steam in a boiler to drive an engine

   2. informal to go quickly

6. informal to release pent-up energy or emotions

7. without the assistance of others

8. slang cheap wine

9. (modifier) driven, operated, heated, powered, etc, by steam

   a steam radiator

10. (modifier) treated by steam

    steam ironed

    steam cleaning

11. humorous (modifier) old-fashioned; outmoded

    steam radio

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verb

1. to emit or be emitted as steam

2. (intr) to generate steam, as a boiler, etc

3. (intr) to move or travel by steam power, as a ship, etc

4. informal (intr) to proceed quickly and sometimes forcefully

5. to cook or be cooked in steam

6. (tr) to treat with steam or apply steam to, as in cleaning, pressing clothes, etc

steam Scientific  

/ stēm /

1. Water in its gaseous state, especially at a temperature above the boiling point of water (above 100°C, or 212°F, at sea level).

2. See Note at vapor

3. A mist of condensed water vapor.

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steam More Idioms  

1. see blow off steam; full speed (steam) ahead; get up steam; run out of steam; under one's own steam.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• presteam
  adjective
• steamless
  adjective
• unsteamed
  adjective
• unsteaming
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• steam
  plural

Participles

• steaming
  present
• steamed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• steam
  simple
• steams
  simple
• have steamed
  perfect
• has steamed
  perfect
• am steaming
  progressive
• are steaming
  progressive
• is steaming
  progressive
• have been steaming
  perfect progressive
• has been steaming
  perfect progressive

Past

• steamed
  simple
• had steamed
  perfect
• was steaming
  progressive
• were steaming
  progressive
• had been steaming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will steam
  simple
• will have steamed
  perfect
• will be steaming
  progressive
• will have been steaming
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of steam

before 1000; Middle English steme, Old English stēam; cognate with Dutch stoom

Explanation

Steam is what water becomes when it's heated to boiling and begins to turn into a gas. On a cold morning, you can really see the steam rising off your mug of hot chocolate. The steam we can see is water vapor, made up of the tiny water drops that form while water condenses. People have put steam to work in many different ways, including cooking, cleaning, and even powering trains and boats. If you "let off steam," you express your frustration or anger to calm yourself down. If you "lose steam," you lose energy or enthusiasm.

Example Sentences

Prior to that, it had said its new Steam Controller would cost £85 - raising eyebrows among some gamers.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

"The overall effect is that our original goal for the price of Steam Machine is no longer viable," Valve added.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

But no one is having more trouble than Valve, a privately-owned game studio that also runs the most popular PC game store, Steam.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

The high-end Steam Deck went from $649 to $949, while an entry-level model went up by $240.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Steam would be rising from the starch, the air cool at last.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston